Kirk Lisaj is an ardent observer of Toronto’s thriving queer nightlife. From close-up portraits to expansive crowd captures, his images evoke the joy and desire of post-pandemic hedonism. Bodies move in rhythm, entangled in ecstasy, relentless in their search for release.

Building on the visual legacy of artists including Wolfgang Tillmans and Elle Perez, Lisaj (who is based between Toronto and Montreal) explores how the queer dance floor is shaping his generation, offering them a conduit for self-expression, identity formation and community building. What makes the viewer look twice at Lisaj’s soulful work is that he doesn’t just celebrate the familiar elements of club culture but hones in on the emotional minutiae of the experience in revealing and unexpected ways.

Lisaj’s approach to nightlife is broad in scope, from documenting free parties and club nights to the inimitable Toronto ballroom scene. What makes Toronto so vibrant for the imagemaker is that people show up to be seen, in contrast to the Berlin and New York scenes, which favour a more nonchalant anonymity.